Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday met the family of Hariom Valmiki, a Dalit man who was allegedly lynched by villagers in Raebareli, and strongly criticised the Uttar Pradesh government, stating that Dalit "oppression" is at its peak under this government."
Gandhi spent around 25 minutes with the family in Fatehpur district, where he spoke with Hariom's father Gangadeen, brother Shivam, and sister Kusum, offering condolences and support. Speaking to reporters afterward, he said, "Dalit oppression is at its peak under this government," while referring to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data that shows Uttar Pradesh leading in cases of crimes against Dalits.
Sharing details of the meeting on X, the Congress wrote in Hindi, "Leader of the Opposition Shri @RahulGandhi met with the family of Shri Hariom Valmiki in Fatehpur and shared their grief. A few days ago, Hariom, a Dalit, was brutally beaten to death. His family is in immense pain and is waiting for justice."
Calling the incident a serious constitutional violation, the party stated, "What happened to Hariom Valmiki is a grave offence against the Constitution of this country. Such a shallow ideology is a blot on society. We will continue to fight against this injustice and oppression. This country will be governed by Baba Saheb's Constitution, not by 'Manuvaad'." The Congress also shared photographs of the visit.
In another post, the Uttar Pradesh Congress described Rahul Gandhi as "the name of hope and support ('ummeed aur bharose kaa naam -- Rahul Gandhi')."
However, hours before Gandhi’s arrival, a video allegedly released by Hariom’s brother, Shivam Valmiki, surfaced in which he appeared to say, "We are satisfied with the government and do not need politics here." The Congress claimed this video was part of an attempt by the BJP to create pressure and manipulate the situation.
Tight security arrangements were made ahead of the visit, with the lane to the Valmiki residence heavily barricaded.
Hariom Valmiki (40) was allegedly lynched around 1 am on October 2 during a night vigil when villagers reportedly mistook him for a thief amid rumours of gangs using drones to identify homes for robberies. The incident triggered widespread outrage, with opposition parties, including Congress and Samajwadi Party, accusing the BJP government of failing to protect Dalits and prevent mob violence.
Following the assault, police registered a case and arrested 14 people, including the prime accused, who was caught after an encounter on October 10. Five policemen, including two sub-inspectors, were suspended for alleged lapses in handling the case.
Rahul Gandhi arrived at Chakeri airport and then travelled nearly 80 km by road to meet the bereaved family.
Ahead of his visit, Hariom’s sister Kusum received an offer letter for a contractual position as a staff nurse at Fatehpur Medical College.
Earlier, Hariom’s wife Sangeeta Valmiki and family had met Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow on October 11. During that meeting, Adityanath assured justice and government support, including housing under the CM Housing Scheme, a permanent job for Sangeeta Valmiki, and welfare coverage.
Adityanath said the accused were apprehended within 24 hours and reiterated that ensuring the safety and dignity of Dalits and deprived communities remained the government's top priority.